Monday, December 10

Italian Pizzelle Cookies

My grandmother, Nan, loved to receive shirt boxes at Christmas every year. Not shirts, just the boxes. After Christmas, my mom and I would bring them over her house, where she would stack them in a closet, then insist we sit down at the kitchen table and have something to eat.

Wondering what she did with all those boxes? She used them store her pizzelle cookies. She needed a lot of boxes because she made a lot of pizzelles -- for birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. It's not just my grandmother, all Italians enjoy them for celebrations.

Pizzelles are round Italian waffle-like cookies made from flour, sugar, eggs, and butter and are typically flavored with anise or vanilla. The name pizzelle comes from the Italian pizze, meaning "flat" or "round."

Believed to be the oldest cookie in Italy, pizzelle have an unusual past. According to legend, in 700 BCE, snakes had infested Abruzzo, in south central Italy, and after they were banished, the townspeople celebrated by eating pizzelle. To this day, they are eaten to celebrate the Festival of the Snakes, now known as the Feast Day of San Domenico.

Pizzelles were originally baked over open fire using irons that were embossed with a family or village crest. Today they are made using a pizzelle iron, which is similar to a waffle iron, but has an attractive floral pattern rather than a grid.

I can still picture my grandmother standing at her kitchen counter making pizzelle. She would pour the thick batter onto the iron, close the long-handled cover, and wait for the sizzling sound of the batter baking. When she lifted the cover, there would be two perfect flower-embossed pizzelle. It would takes hours to make them, and the aroma of anise would perfume her tiny apartment.

Nan is 99 years old and in a nursing home now. Thanks to her son-in-law, my dad, her tradition is alive and well. He recently made a batch and FedExed them to us. Just smelling the anise brought me right back to Nan's little kitchen. She would be thrilled to know that her pizzelle are on my blog for so many people to appreciate; they were her pride and glory.

I'm submitting this, on my Dad's behalf, to Eat Christmas Cookies. Click here to see all of the festive entries, including my mom's Molasses Cookies (the second entry).

You have 14 more days to submit your cookies and become eligible to win Sherry Yard's delicious new cookbook. Click here for details.

Note: Most pizzelle recipes call for anise extract, but Dad uses actual anise seed, which is more flavorful. Remember, you need a pizzelle iron to make these cookies, so click here if you'd like to buy one.

Please see this post for a step-by-step visual guide on how to make pizzelle cookies.

Preheat pizzelle iron. Coat with cooking spray and wipe off excess with a paper towel. You do not have to re-apply.

Beat eggs and sugar. Add cooled melted butter, vanilla extract, and anise seeds. Sift flour and baking powder in a bowl and add to the egg mixture. Batter will have a dough-like consistency. With your hands, roll into one-inch round balls and place in the center of the pizzelle iron grids. Close the cover of the iron and bake for about 45 seconds, or until golden brown. Remove from iron and place on a cookie rack to cool.

Dust with confectioner's before serving, if desired.

Pizzelle will last for a couple of weeks if stored in an air-tight container and kept in a cool area.

Isn't it wonderful to have something your nan used to make and now that your dad continues the tradition, maybe u will too continue with the tradition.I make waffels but the belgian ones.I had mailed you with my post for the event, hope you got it

I've always wanted to bake pizzelle, but I don't have an iron -- and am hesitant to add yet other gadget to my ever-growing collection! But they are sooooo good, and this recipe looks particularly delicious (I love the anise seed suggestion...).

I've always wanted to buy a pizzelle iron and try to make these. We never had them when I was growing up (because I never had an Italian grandma), but I've come to love them as an adult. The anise flavor is so subtle, and so delicious.

Pizzelles were always a must around my house at Christmas; my mom just made many, many batches. Last year, she sent me a tin of them (from America to Italy, ironically) and since it was a round container that was just about the same size as the pizzelles, most of them even made the trip intact. No matter of course, because YUM in crumbs ;)

I was so happy to see these on your blog! I was just talking to my husband about these cookies and he'd never heard of them. My polish grandmother made them, though I have no idea how this Italian cookie became one of her traditions. The flavor reminds me of childhood, for sure. One of these days when I have more space, I might get a pizzelle iron.Julie

Honor to your grandma! The labor of love! Pizzelle is one of my favorites. Susan, I am going to make your mom's pignoli cookies, will make many extra so that I can give out some to my husband's buddy (an Italiano working in Barcelona), since he is home-sick... but afraid your family recipe shall make his home-sickness worse :) :)Your idea of cookie map is just wonderful! You have put a lot of time and effort, I'm sure we all highly appreciate, and enjoy it a ton!

Sognatrice-That is ironic! And as for the crumbs--I wouldn't toss a single one.

Scribbit-Nutella could only make them better.

Julie-I know what you mean about the lack of space. Let me know if you ever find out how your Polish grandmother started baking pizzelle.

Maya-I'm so glad you know about pizzelle now!

Eliza-That sounds like an unusual and tasty variation. I'd like to those as well.

Kristen-These cookies are much better than tissue. ;)

Gattina-It warms my heart (and my mom's) to know your hubby's buddy will be enjoying her cookies. It's really been fun, and my effort is all the more worthwhile when I receive dear comments like yours. :)

Susan, You and I have more in common than our names. I am also Italian, born in NYC. My Dad was from the Frosinone area. I still have a lot of family there. I also have many relatives, including my sister-in-law from Rhode Island. I've been enjoying your posts. It reminds me a lot of my own experiences growing up.

Pizzelles are my favorites. My Mom has 2 irons because we go through them as fast as she can make them! Unfortunaltely, they don't hold up too well here in Florida. Too much humidity. I have the same problem with cannoli shells.

What a beautiful, simple cookie with an exciting history. I'm always amazed at how much time and love were spent in the kitchen in previous generations. I love that. (My cookies will come in soon...somehow I'm always at the last minute, if not completely late!)

As I wend my way through my second Pizzelleless Christmas in the UK (transplanted from US-Italian family), I am still shocked that I can't find an electric 240volt pizzelle iron -- please, anybody with knowledge of one, let us know! Life shouldn't be so cruel, and I'd love to be able to share them with my friends here! Er, that is, after I've made and eaten about 100 dozen of them myself...tfears@excite-com

My gramma also used to make pizzelle cookies from scratch around Christmas-time. She used a special pizzelle press (like a waffle iron) to make them. While the pizzelles were still warm after coming from the press, she would roll them and make cannolis out of them! I remember her cookies so well, and I even posted an entry in my cookie blog (oatmealcookie.typepad.com) about her old recipes and cookbooks.

i have a Marcato , AMPIA Biscuit cookie press maker made in italy. i have lost the recipe booklet that was inclosed!! i am sick about this. we had moved and i must have misplaced the recipe booklet or whatever. can you help me with this? funny how one enjoyed these delightfully pretty cookies. memories of my boys looking forward to eating these delitefully light and tasty biscuit cookies. thanks Linda

Perhaps someone can help me with a pizzelle-related question. I've been searching the web and can't find anything! My family is Italian and my grandmother has always made pizzelles (there are several dozen at the table now, waiting to be eaten on Christmas!). The odd thing is that my entire family has always called them (phonetic pronounciation) CHEL-DOOR-NEEZ. I have no idea when this word came from or if it's even another word for pizzelles, but my grandmother said that she learned of them growing up in Italy. Also, how would you even spell this word? Cheldorne? Cheldornie? They all look wrong! Can anyone shed some light on a life-long conundrum? Many thanks!!

Hi. I just found your blog and I enjoy reading what you post! I have a question for you regarding italian cookies. My family is Italian ( Sicilian to be exact) an this past thanksgiving my Grandfather was remembering cookies his mom used to make. He said they were very simple to make, included olive oil and were on the crispy side... do you have any idea what he could be remembering or know where I could look? These cookies were either lemon or almond flavor and not biscotti...

I would appreciate any help! I'm trying to make them for his upcoming 87th birthday! Thanks!

anonymous-We make Italian pepper biscuits (which I have posted on this blog -- check under "cookies"), but they don't include lemon or almond. We also make wine biscuits with olive oil, but they include only fennel seed. I'm not sure exactly what he is thinking of. I hope he has a wonderful birthday!

I'm living in Ireland and have longed for a pizzelle iron/maker for the last 15 years to make these like my Nana used to. This week Lidl (in Ireland) have an electric waffle cone maker which I hope will do the trick and I just checked to see if there was anywhere in the UK that sells the pretty designed ones like my Nana used to use (they were like lace and flower designs from memory.) ...And I happened upon this website- it's a very plain square iron that you use on top of the cooker- but it may be of use to those of you living far from your Italian family. http://www.divertimenti.co.uk/Cookware/Waffle_irons/waffle-iron.html

I too would love a pizzelle iron if anyone knows of where they stock them in the Uk i would be so greateful. I bought this krumkake iron from ebay last week but have not yet received it, here is the link http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Waffle-press-maker-eiser-cake-krumkake-BBQ-/110544124897?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Kitchen_Accessories&hash=item19bcf17be1#ht_3157wt_1137

i also purchased this cone maker from amazon which was so easy to use and make delicious wafer cones, im going to try a pizzelle recipe to see how it turns out. I love this for the cone shaper includedhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/ALE50WIA1NIYY/ref=cm_cr_thx_pdp

Oh my ... Pizzelles!!! This are total YUM! My grandmother made this and I still remember them very well. Fresh off the iron press . Man! Good Good stuff! I have been on the hunt for the old fashion Pizzelle press she used to have. Made on at a time and had a beautiful flower pattern on it.

I have a special Italian recipes website I made of my Italian grandmother's recipe. I have a My Italian Grandmother page you might enjoy here:

Like you all my great grandmother use to make these. So I decided this year to try. Well I made my first batch and they taste just like I remember. there is one problem they do not look pretty at all. Cant seem to fill the whole cookie mold or it over pours and extra is hanging. What I am wondering what are the tricks? I will keep trying. I love these cookies. HELP. Thanks

MAC-Sorry I couldn't respond sooner. I'm doing book signings and traveling. Well, from your comments, it sounds like two diff. problems. Re: not filling the molds, is the batter too thick, and you mean you can't spread it to fill the form? As for overflowing, that's b/c the batter is too thin and needs flour to thicken it. Good luck!

I have an old italian recipe for Brigadini (tuscan) which uses olive oil instead of butter...(stemming from the oldest versions of this recipe)...could I use it instead of butter in your recipe??..Thank you so much for any enlightenment!!